Business Profile

Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2001

By The JUNEAU EMPIRE

Title and firm: Chef Felipe Ogoy and his wife Leah R. Ogoy are partners in a new special food service, Felipe's, due to open May 1. Felipe's is a food cart that will be stationed for the tourist season downtown on South Franklin Street near the Filipino Community Hall and the Red Dog Saloon. "We'll offer something quick, flavorful and different," said Felipe Ogoy, 34.

Biographical information: Leah Ogoy, 25, was born and raised here. Felipe moved here from Seattle when the couple married five years ago. He attended the University of Alaska culinary program in Anchorage, and then cooked at Ivar's Seafood in Seattle.

Leah graduated from Juneau-Douglas High School in 1993. She attended Colorado State University, earned an associate's degree and is now finishing up her bachelor's degree in education. Meanwhile she is working as a teacher's aide.

Family: The couple has a daughter, Haley, who turns 4 next month, and a second child is due May 11. "Haley spent a lot of time with us at Cafe Myriad, so customers should recognize her," Leah said.

Background: "We used to be part-owners of Cafe Myriad," said Leah Ogoy, "and my husband has been the chef at the Cookhouse in Juneau and Mike's Place in Douglas."

Specialties: Teriyaki chicken is probably Felipe's most popular dish. He also plans to prepare chicken satay (threaded on skewers Malaysian-style with peanut sauce), chicken adobo (Filipino style) and lumpia (Filipino style egg rolls). "My husband has cooked Japanese, Italian, Thai, so we are doing quite a few dishes," Leah Ogoy said. Vegetarian stir-fries are a possibility, she added.

"We are still in the process of getting our food permit and our menu approved, but we are looking at May 1st for opening," Ogoy said.

Quotable: "I think the attraction (for Felipe's) will be the good cooking and the personalities. My husband makes his sauces from scratch. People around town know him and know his cooking, and will be excited to know we are open for business," Leah Ogoy said.

Contact information: Home number is 586-8087. Otherwise, watch for the cart.